Press council within eight weeks, says Shafqat

SARGODHA- The present regime believes in the Press freedom but it at the same time considers check and balance of vital importance. Therefore, a press council in consultation with the CPNE and the APNS is likely to be set up in the next six to eight weeks.

This was stated by Punjab Information, Environment, Culture and Transport Minister Shafqat Mehmood while speaking at a “Meet the Press” programme of the local Press club.

He said that despite financial restraints the government was striving hard to initiate development schemes for the uplift of the people. He said that they had planned to provide financial aid to Press Clubs within available resources. In the past, he said, the rulers had given a large number of advertisements to certain newspapers and had victimized those having independent editorial policies. He said that the present government had chalked out an indiscriminate advertisement policy having 25 per cent quota for regional papers.

The minister said that the devolution of power plan was unique and it would ultimately benefit the masses. He said that certain political elements were opposing the new district governance for their vested interests.

Criticizing the all parties conference (APC), he said that foes of yesterday had become friends of today only to escape accountability and none of them was sincere in restoration of democracy or democratic order in the country. He said that the present regime was determined to mitigate the sufferings of the masses.

DIRECTIVE: Mr Mahmood directed law-enforcing agencies to adopt effective measures to improve the law and order situation as provision of prompt justice to the masses was the top priority of the present government. He was presiding over a law and order meeting at the commissioner’s office. Commissioner Saeed Ahmed Khan said that the crime rate had decreased as compared to the last year.

PROTEST: Over 100 donkey cart drivers staged a sit-in in front of the Sargodha Municipal Corporation offices to register their protest against increase in carts licence fee and fine by the contractor. The protesters blocked the traffic for about one hour and raised slogans against the administrator. They said that if their grievance was not redressed, they would go on a hunger strike.